Inspiration For Your Asian Adventure

There is no denying that Asia is one of the most fascinating and incredible continents. If you have never visited before, we’re going to take a look at two places that come highly recommended. 

Thailand’s beautiful city of Chiang Mai

There is only one place to begin and this is with the stunning city of Chiang Mai, which is one of many amazing places in Thailand. However, there are a number of reasons why we think this is the best spot to visit. One of the reasons why this is the case is because of the ethical elephant experiences to visit here. A lot of places in Thailand have gained a negative reputation because of the way they treat elephants, and it is truly devastating. However, you can enjoy walking with elephants in Chiang Mai and know that it is fully ethical. 

There are a number of other reasons why we recommend Chiang Mai. This includes the fact that it is a walkable city. When you compare Chiang Mai with Bangkok, it is much more laid back. You have plenty to do and see but you do not have to worry about all of the smog and chaos of Bangkok. It is a place that is very easy to navigate, which is great when you consider that there is so much to do and see. There has been rapid urban development in Chiang Mai. You will find shopping malls and condos. However, traditional Thai roots have not been abandoned. You have the ancient sites and meticulously carved teak houses, which date back to over 700 years ago. 

One of the reasons why a lot of people visit Thailand is so that they will be able to explore the beautiful temples that are on offer. You will not have any trouble doing this in Chiang Mai, as there are more than 300 of them. And, of course, we cannot mention Thailand without talking about food. From upscale fare to local street food, you are really going to enjoy the culinary offerings in Thailand. Make sure you try traditional cuisine while you are in Chiang Mai. It’s really cheap and you won’t regret it, as it’s delicious too!

Central Hong Kong and its famous district of SoHo

One of the four major parts of Hong Kong is Hong Kong Island and, located on the north shore, is the district known as Central.  It used to be the heart of the city known originally as Victoria but that name is not used any more. British settlers originally landed in 1841 and a city rapidly grew up, housing major military facilities and the main administrative centres. Other Westerners, as well as Chinese people, followed and both residential and trading facilities expanded rapidly.

Central, also known as Central District, lies across Victoria Harbour from Tsim Sha Tsui in the Kowloon Peninsula and is the central political and business district of the city. Understandably you will find a plethora of multinational financial services corporations in the area. The commercial district is buzzing and you will find many internationally known fashion outlets here along with any kind eating house that you can imagine.  It really is a mecca for shopping and both tourists and locals frequent the Central district in great numbers. A major draw for anyone wanting an overview of the area is Victoria Peak. From here you can look down on a fascinating mixture of both new and old architecture, most of which are now well-known landmarks on Hong Kong Island.

Within the Central area are many districts and one of the best known is SoHo.  The area actually refers to “south of Hollywood Road” so you can see this was shortened to SoHo.  While much of Hong Kong’s shopping quarters are a riot of glass and steel high-rise edifices housing famous, designer brand names, SoHo literally brings you a bit more down to earth.  It is sometimes described as more “boutique” in style but this description does NOT mean cheap! Just like in the shinier parts of the city you will find well-heeled, cosmopolitan types trawling the antique shops, art galleries and fashion boutiques and, as day gives way to the night, the best restaurants.